CHAPTER 6

 

 

“So, Seth. How was your date last night?” Garret asked as he tossed Seth a beer. They were sitting on the back deck of Garret’s new beach house overlooking the surf. Garret’s fiancée Skye was in the kitchen putting a snack patter together.

“Date?” Seth asked hoping to sound confused. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Fawn ever since he left her this morning.

“Stefan told us all about it.” Cole said before taking a pull of his beer.

Seth watched his friends. He needed to get out and stop thinking about Fawn and yet now they wanted him to rehash it all. He appreciated their interested in his life, but sometimes having four close friends could be slightly smothering.

Seth had met Garret and Cayden at a hotel party while he was at college. He was supposed to be supervising the party and to his parents chagrin ended up partying as hard as the guests. He had earned lifelong friends that night, along with a speech about responsibility from his father.

Stefan and Cole had joined the close knit circle a few years later. Even though Seth had known them at school they were a few years younger. An age difference that cast you aside at school, they soon realized that didn’t matter once you got older.

The five of them had been close friends now for over five years, sometimes Seth couldn’t imagine what his life had been like before he had his five best friends. Even if they always wanted to know everything. “Stefan should keep his mouth shut.” Seth said as he looked over the water.

“He said she was hot.” Garret said earning him a reproving look along with a swat on the arm from Skye as she set the platter of cheese, tacos and crisps on the table. “Ouch! I’m just repeating Stefan’s words.”

Seth laughed as Skye sat down. “She was hot.”

Skye instantly got up again. “I’ve got a good book waiting for me, something I definitely prefer over boy talk.” She smiled at them before she went inside.

Sometimes Seth envied Garret and his relationship. After avoiding women for years after his divorce, Garret had met Skye last year. Although he was hesitant to pursue a relationship at first, it was clear they were meant for each other.

Skye gave Garret enough space to run his multi-million dollar business consulting firm along with time for his friends. As far as Seth knew she didn’t whine, except if they didn’t tidy after themselves.

At the same time the thought of a relationship scared Seth to the core.

He waited until Skye was out of ear shot before he sighed and turned to his friends. “We spent the night together and this morning it all went haywire.”

“What happened?” Cole asked biting on a taco.

Seth hesitated for a moment about telling his friends about Fawn’s identity, but he knew they wouldn’t tell. He could trust them. “Right so here’s the thing. After spending the whole day with her and taking her out for drinks, I realize she’s FAWN.”

“What!” Garret asked amazed. “You needed that long to recognize her?”

Seth laughed. “No, it’s just she’s different …she wasn’t like FAWN yesterday.” Seth said her name making quotation marks in the air with his fingers. “She was just Fawn Di Maggio. She’s sweet, infuriating and funny.”

“Oh shit.” Stefan took a long pull of his beer. “You know you sound just like this asshole did a couple of months ago.” He said pointing at Garret.

Garret had kept quiet the whole time and now spoke for the first time. “What happened this morning?”

“It’s possible that her identity and location has been leaked. Her bodyguard came to tell us early this morning and it was…I don’t know. It was almost like she freaked.”

“What did you do?” Garret asked leaning forward, a crease between his eyes.

Seth shrugged. “I told her she should tell her fans to leave her alone.”

Garret solemnly shook his head as Cole burst out laughing.

“What!” Seth asked confused.

“Have you ever been to a FAWN concert?” Cole asked still laughing.

“No.”

“Well I have. Whoa! Not because I’m a fan, although she is hot. That girl…Cindy Candy Connie, shit I’m not sure which had me take her last year. It’s like her fans are crazy. They’ve got like a line of security against the stage and still people try to get through them to get to FAWN.’ Cole’s eyes widened as he spoke. “It’s like she’s a religion. People chant her name and start fainting when they see her. Do you really think asking them nicely will work?”

“Shit!”

“Yup that’s about it.”

Garret laughed at the whole situation before he spoke again. “Sounds to me like you were an insensitive SOB this morning.”

“I didn’t realize…” Seth’s voice trailed off as he realized how stupid he was. Just because he wasn’t interested in following celebrities around didn’t mean other people weren’t. “What am I going to do?”

Garret sat back, his eyes mocking that this time it wasn’t him in this situation. “I’d say you need to decide if you want to see her again or not, and then decide what you’re going to do.”

As Seth sat back biting his lip contemplating his predicament, Cole let out a whoop. “I cannot believe you bedded FAWN and that wasn’t like the first thing you told us!”

“It wasn’t like that. She’s different.” Seth said almost hesitantly before turning to Garrett and continuing. “I want to see her again.”

Garret smiled. “Good. Then it’s easy. Start with an apology.”

“Apology?” Seth asked confused.

“Seth you all but told a child without and arm to clap their hands. You owe her an apology.”

“Right.”

Cole chewed on a piece of cheese and spoke as soon as he swallowed. “You could ask her on a date.”

Both Seth and Garret turned to Cole who was known for his love ‘em and leave ‘em tactics.

“Just because I don’t doesn’t mean you can’t” Cole shrugged.

“Right, so apology first and then date.” Seth nodded perfunctory, feeling better now that he had a plan.

“Exactly.” Garret said as he punched him in the arm. “Good luck.”

Seth smiled before punching Garret back. “Talking about luck. How are the wedding plans coming?”

That strange calmness that shone from Garrett’s eyes since meeting Skye settled over him before he spoke. “Great. We’re about a month away and to be honest I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t wait.”

“Wait for what?” Skye asked as she stepped outside and started clearing up the table.

Garret playfully swatted her behind. “To call you my wench.”

Seth laughed at the easy banter between Garrett and Skye and for the first time wondered if that wasn’t what was lacking in his life?

He made his way to the hotel later that evening. He had been summoned by his parents to meet them for dinner in the hotel restaurant. Seth knew it wouldn’t take long. His father would punch out a speech or two, his mother would chasten him about not settling down and giving her any grandchildren and then they would all go their separate ways until they repeated the whole scenario. Which luckily for Seth was only about once every three months.

He would go talk to Fawn after dinner and invite her on a date tomorrow night. For some reason the thought of seeing Fawn again made him more nervous than listening to his father’s speech. A welcome change.

He walked into the dining room taking a seat at the only table his parents ever used, in the corner in the back. Where his father could still supervise all the waiters during dinner service. Sometimes Seth wished he had his father’s love and ambition for hotels. Even though he could run the hotel with his eyes closed and hands behind his back, Seth had never enjoyed it.

“Water please, sparkling.” Seth said as a young girl asked him for his order.

Right at that moment Seth could swear the waiters walked taller, the glasses sparkled more brightly and the conversations around him dimmed as his father and mother stepped into the restaurant.

Seth watched them approach the table. His father’s gaze traveled lazily over the restaurant, but Seth knew he didn’t miss a thing. His father was observing how full the plates were; if the linen was clean, if the guests were happy. At the end of the day that was his only concern. Guest satisfaction.

“Mom, Dad.” Seth stood as they reached the table.

“Seth.” His father briefly shook his hand before sitting down.

“Seth honey, it’s so good to see you.” The grey eyes he inherited from his mother looked into his own, somehow hers seemed softer.

“Mom.” Seth smiled before taking her in his arms and giving her a bear hug.

They all sat down as Seth’s father waited for a waiter to scurry closer. “Mr. Roth, good evening to you and your family. Can I bring you the usual?”

“Yes, thank Sam. Scotch on the rocks for me and Mrs. Roth will be having a Mimosa.”

“On its way sir.” Sam said before hurrying away to get the drinks.

“So Seth, how’ve you been?” Mr. Roth asked Seth.

“Fine dad.” Seth said knowing the speech was on its way.

“Well I’ve heard good things from the manager. Apparently you’re around quite frequently, keeping your hand in.” His father sounded pleased, Seth would almost go as far as saying excited.

“I am dad. I told you I don’t mind being involved; I just don’t want to run the hotel.”

“Well maybe you’ll get a taste for it sooner or later. A man’s got to think about how he is going to provide for his family one day.”

“Luckily I don’t have one.” Seth said sourly as he drank more water. He preferred keeping a clear head, at least until his father had fulfilled his obligatory speeches for the evening.

“Oh honey, that’s such a shame. It’s really time you meet a nice girl and settle down. Sheila says her cousin is in the Hamptons for the summer; maybe I should arrange you to take her out a bit.” Mrs. Roth beamed excitedly.

“Mom, I don’t need you to arrange my dates.” Seth felt like a teenager again.

“Your mom is only trying to help you Seth. You’re twenty nine years old; you’ve got no ambition, no passion and not even a wife. When I was your age…”

“I know dad. When you were my age you had just bought your first hotel, I was already three years old and you and mom lived in the basement, knowing you were working towards your dream.” Seth sighed deeply. “It’s not like I’m planning on disappointing you. It’s just, I don’t know. I don’t enjoy hotels dad. I know you do, you always have. I just need to find something I enjoy. And as for the wife, that’ll come when it comes, I’m not rushing into a lifelong commitment so you can have grandchildren.”

Seth watched his father’s eyebrows raise and he wondered if he took it too far this time, instead his father surprised him when he spoke.

“Seth I think that’s the first time you’ve been honest with me since you asked for piano lessons.”

Seth smiled at his father and thought back on how hard that had been. But he’d done it. Maybe it was time he did something hard again.

“Thanks dad, would you mind if I go. There’s somewhere I’ve got to be.”

Seth’s mom smiled and turned to his father. “Seems like he’s got ambition about something or someone.”

Seth’s father laughed before turning to Seth. “Go on son. We’ll talk soon.”

Seth all but ran to the elevators. As he pushed the button for the Penthouse floor he withdrew the keycard from his pocket that accessed all floors. He swiped it and counted the floors and the elevator soared.

By the time it reached the Penthouse floor, Seth felt his breath backing up. He had never been this nervous about asking a girl on a date. But like he said this afternoon something was different about Fawn.

He stepped into the spacious foyer and briskly walked to her door knocking a few short knocks before stepping back and waiting for her to open.

It felt like an eternity later when the door knob turned and revealed Fawn looking all rumpled and sleepy.

“Seth?” She asked through bleary eyes.

“Hi.”

“What are you doing here? What’s the time?” Fawn asked tugging at a stray strand of hair over her face.

“It’s a little before eight pm, and I came to talk to you.” Seth reached for her hands as he stepped inside.

Fawn frowned at him confused. “I must’ve fallen asleep.”

It took all the willpower Seth could muster not to grab her and kiss the sleep tousled look from her eyes. “Looks like it. Can I talk to you?”

Fawn nodded on a yawn. “Yeah sure come inside.”

Seth followed her to the living room and sat down on the couch opposite from the one where she had curled up with blanket. A notebook lay open beside her with a pen on it. If Seth had to guess, she’d been writing.

“Right, so about this morning.” Seth started.

“I’m sorry I snapped.” Fawn said softly.

“No, I’m sorry I was insensitive. I have no idea what it’s like to be you and I had no right brushing your fears aside as if they didn’t matter.”

Fawn nodded watching him with those big blue eyes.

“I enjoyed last night, more than you can know. I want to make up for screwing it up this morning.”

Fawn didn’t move or say a word simply watched him.

Seth took a deep breath before speaking again. “Let me take you on a date tomorrow evening. We can talk and I can grovel some more, and then maybe we can see if we’ve got more in common than we think.” Seth smiled crookedly hoping her answer would be yes.

Fawn watched him a long time mulling over his invite before she finally nodded. Her face was an open book as doubt played over it. Seth held his breath hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. “Fine, one date.”

Seth got up and nearly kissed her, but held himself back. It was only a date and yet it felt like the beginning of something more.

“Goodnight Fawn, I’ll pick you up tomorrow evening at seven pm.” Seth said as he walked to the door. As he reached it he turned back. “Oh and Fawn, you better tell Dom we’ll be dining elsewhere, so if he wants come he’ll need to be ready too.”

Fawn’s eyes widened at the mention of her bodyguard and Seth hoped the fact that he had kept Dom in mind would regain some of the affection he had lost that morning.